phillips



Sept. 18, 1934. E J p ps 1,973,878

MULTIPLE DOOR COMPARTMENT Filed Dec. 1, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet." l

p 1934- E. J. G. PHILLIPS 1,973,878

MULTIPLE DOOR COMPARTMENT Filed Dec. 1, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet 2 29 J56 r" V H 15 6 144 f l 31 7 155 G 24 16 156 59 Sept. 18, 1934. 'E. J. G. PHILLIPS MULTIPLE DOOR COMPARTMENT v Filed Dec. 1, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 a EEr I III."

l atented Sept 18, 1934 PATENT V FFNIE MULTIPLE DOOR COMPARTMENT Ellis J. G. Phillips, Aurora, 111., 'assignor to Richards Wilcox Manufacturing Company Aurora, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 1, 1930, Serial No. 499,268,

6 Claims.

This inventionrelates to compartments having connected doors wherein access to the interior of the compartment is gained only by the operation of one of the doors, commonly known as a master door. This compartment is particularly adapted to be used for wardrobes or locker rooms in schools, churches, gymnasiums, bath houses, or in any location wherein it is advantageous to control a number of doors in a structure by a master MydOOI, thus obviating individual locking mechanisms, keys, and other hardware for each of the doors, and incidentally affording centralized control and responsibility of the property to be left in such a compartment.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved arrangement of operating mechanism for multiple doors or closures, wherein each door or closure is dependent upon a master door for opening and closing.

Another object of the invention is to mount the doors in an improved manner to have an improved operating movement whereby a series of doors may be opened to a maximum extent to give free and easy access to all parts of the interior of the compartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein all of the doors of the series move substantially entirely into the compartment so as to be out of the way when in open position. .This is a very advantageousfeature when the compartment is to be used in schools or the like having a minimum of space in front. of the compartment, and particularly where it is desirable to avoid having the doors obstruct an aisle or passageway betweenthe compartment and a row of desks or the like, when the doors are in open position. The opening and closing of my improved arrangement of doors therefore will not interfere with or impede the passing of individuals in front of the compartment.

Another object or feature of this invention is to provide a structure having doors which, when closed, will completely enclose the front opening of the structure, and which,'when open, will in vide the whole structure into one having a number of open faced compartments corresponding to the number of doors employed. Thus, each particular compartment may be assigned to an ineffect result in separate partitions to thereby di-..

in their opened position to form separate compartments, individuals in one compartment will not have free access to an adjoining compartment without entering from the front of that latter compartment.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved supporting means for the doors that will permit of adjustment of the doors bodily or angularly in any direction or plane, or adjustment relative to one another. This is an important improvement in a structure wherein the doors are required to be actuated simultaneously and controlled by a master door, because, where doors are supported and operated in a structure or building wherein the floors or compartment framework may settle or otherwise be moved out of position, some compensating means must be present to adjust the doors to bring them to their proper position, otherwise the doors may bind in their. movements or fail to register properly when closed.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for preventing damage to the door supporting structure by sudden thrusts inwardly on any door, such as, for example, those due to a person accidentally falling against the same, wherein the strain would be transmitted directly against the supporting or door holding mechanism.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear to those skilled in the art when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: v

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a preferred form of my invention;

Figure 2- is a fragmentary front elevational view of the compartment showing the doors or closures in their open position;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, showing the end compartment substantially enlarged with the door in closed position;

' Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the upper controlling'and supporting assembly; v J

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the lower supporting assembly on one of the doors looking upwardly from the floor and corresponding to a View taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 9;

Figures 6 and '7 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken through the centers of the upper and-lower door supporting and pivoting means, respectively;

Figures 8 and 9 are enlarged vertical views I have chosen one specific embodiment which is:

adapted to be incorporated in a school building wherein the compartment takes the form of a; wardrobe or closet adapted to. receive wearing apparel, books, etc., and is-to: be closed by a series of connected doors such as may have blacke boards mounted on the outer sides thereof,.par-

ticularly when the compartment is in; a class room.

The compartment, indicated generally at 11,

has a back wall l2 and end walls 13 whichmay;

be a permanent built-in part of the building structure. inforced by a wooden framework or gro'undsupon which shelves, individual lockers, clothes-racks,

hooks, etc. can be secured. A ceiling 14 is provided' with a screen or ventilating opening 1 5 for passage of air. The floor may be part of the room floor or may be a separate floor for the compartment. It is obvious that, where the situation demands, such a compartment may be installed independently in the room and comprise a structure having its own separate: walls; ceiling, and floor, as, for example, a complete wardrobe cabinet of wood or metal-.

As shown in Figure 1, the front opening is-enclosed by a series of doors 17; 18; 19=and 20, which: may be of any number and which lie in an endto end relationship when closed, with-their edges- [-22 contacting with one another.

of the extreme right hand door 20, as' shown in this figure, abuts against the insideof the cas ing 23 when the door is closed. Thedoor 17 is designated the master door, hereinafter to be described, and this door abuts against a suppl'e-- mentary jambstructure 29 when closed. A- look 2 on the-door 17 engages alocking plate on the supplementary jamb structure 29 and: this look also has a rod extending vertically upward 1 and which engages a keeper (not shown) atthe tcp of the door. The rod 30 as shown'in Figure 1' is encased within a hollow moulding 31", which moulding protects the rod-30 and also-adds tothe appearance of the structure. This lock is ofwell known type and need not be further described The intermediate doors 18'-l9 are subhere. stantial duplicates, and while I have indicated: only two doors in Figure 1 it is obvious that I may use any number of doors similar to-the doors= 18 and 19. v

In the construction which I have disclosed;

(Figure 3), the outersurfaces of eachv of the doors have black boards 16with chalk trays 21 positioned below the black boards. Panel doors may be substituted for the black board structure where it is deemed preferable. Racks or shelves 25 are shown mounted on the back wall12, and

these shelves have clothes hangers or hooks 26' secured thereto.

From Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the doors are shorter than the vertical opening ofthe front of the compartment, thus leavinga bottom opening extending the entire'width of the front opening of the compartment. Air may then circulate through the-compartment'by'entering' un- The walis may be conventionally re-- The outer edgeder the doors and passing out through the ventilating opening 15 in the ceiling. However, I may provide a door which entirely extends the vertical height of the front opening of the compartment and then incorporate an opening in each of the doors to provide for ventilation of the structure; in;thelatter case, the openings would be. protected? by bars or ashutter arrangement to prevent an unauthorized entry into the compartment. An exhaust fan or the like can be conveniently connected to the opening 15 to provide for better ventilation of the compartment if desired;

Each: of the doors is supported by link pivoting mechanisms 2728; which mechanisms are seowed to the top: and bottom of the doors and to the ceiling and floor, respectively, as best shown in Figure 3. The doors are supported and adapted to'pivot upon these mechanisms 27-28 from closed to open position, and as shown in Figure 1, the solid lines indicatethe closed position of the doors and the dotted lines which run transverselywithin the compartment i'ndicat'etheopenposition of t-hedocrss- I will nowdescribe in detailthe link pivoting mechanism 28 which is disposed at the bottoms of the doors; the detailsof' which are best seen in- Figures 5, 7" and 9; This mechanism comprises a'base-or' attaching member in the form-ofasleeve 32- having the bottom flared outwardly at' right 105 angles'from' the side wall of the sleeve to form a fiangeplate 33; Screws 34' or the likepass through openings-ire the flange plate 33' tofasten thesleeve 32 to the floor 35. A pair of" flangerings 3 6 and'B'I projecting inwardly from-theside wall 110 of" the sleeve32 and are preferably formed integral with. said side wall as shown in' Figure'l'. A central opening is formed in each one of'these flange rings 3637. for the receptionof acylin drical"sleevebushing'iis'z The'bushi'ng 38is'forced 115 into these centralv openings in the flange rings 36-37; and. the opposite ends of the-bushing terminate flush with the opposite outer surfaces of the flanged rings;

A ball bearing race structure 39 is. adapted tobe received on the" upper surface of the flange ring 36'; the ring acting'a'saishelf for thesupport of" the bearing structure. The bearing structure consists of? a cup 40 in which a" ball bearing. race 41; is'adapted to turn, the cup; 10 thus provid'inga; bearingsurf'ace in which the ball bearings rotate; Thebearing structure39has acentralopening ofthe' same diameteras the opening"- which passes through the cylindrical'bushing 38. The structure 39" is offconventiona'l'type and need. 130 not be further describedhere'.

A triangular; link" or arm 42 is pivo'tally'supported on this base, mounting; and. one end 48: thereof covers the top opening'of" the sleeve 32. This triangular link member preferably'ha'stwo of its. sides formed. of U -shaped or channel crosssection and. the other side is preferably fiange'dtb" be ofangl'e cross section. A stem 43'projectsat" right. angles from. the end 48 of'saidtria'ngular" link member, andthi'sstem 431s receivedwithin the sleeve 32. The stem, therefore, passes through thecenter of the bearing structure 39'and is rotatably received within the bushing sleeve 38". Both the stem and bushing terminate flush with the lower surface ofthe inwardly projecting flange ringi37. The stem 43; in turn; has a'cylindri'cal' opening" 44' passing longitudinally therethrough; A rivet 4'5 i sreceived in thisc'entral opening ie wiith its-h'ea'd-resting on the triangular link 42* and its opposite end peened or swa gedi 150 as at 46, upon the plate or washer 47, to hold the stem 43 of the triangular bracket member 42 in the mounting base. The plate or washer 47 is or greater diameter than the end of the stem 43 or the sleeve bushing 38, and it engages the under side of the inwardly projecting flange ring 37. It will be seen that the sleeved bushing 38 and ball bearing structure 39 facilitate free pivoting of the stem 43 therein and the ball bearing also carries any endthrust from the weight of the door.

The link or arm member 42 has a pair of upwardly extending ears 51 which are formed integral therewith. These cars 51 have central openings for the reception of elbow connections or angle bolts 52, the ends 56 of which pass through the central openings of the ears 51 and are rigidly secured therein. A pair of jamb nuts 54 are threaded on the ends 56 of the elbow bolts and are positioned against one side of the cars 51, acorn] nuts 55 are then screwed on the extreme ends 56 of the elbow bolts and against the opposite sides of the cars 51. The nuts 54 and 55 are drawn together tightly against the ears to rigidly hold the elbow bolts on the triangular links.

Each of the doors carries-a pair of flanged lugs 61 which are secured near the base of the door, as by screws or the like. The lugs 61 have flanged toes 62 extending at right angles therefrom. These toes 02 have apertures for the reception of the opposite ends 5'. of the elbow bolts 52. Jamb nuts 64 are threaded on the ends 5'? of the elbow bolts and abut against the undersides of the toes 62. Acorn nuts 65 are then threaded on the extreme ends 57 of the elbow bolts, and are drawn tightly against the upper surfaceof the toes 62. It is to be seen that this method of securing the triangular links 42 to each ofthe doors provides a two point connection to the door, with the other point of the triangular link secured to the sleeve 32; however, it is to be not-ed'here that a single link structure could also be employed with only a one point connection to the door, and still be Within the spirit of my invention.

The link pivoting mechanism 27 secured at the top of each of the doors and to the ceiling is similar in its principal aspects to the link pivoting mechanism which I have just described above but differs therefrom slightly as will hereinafter appear. ures 4, 6 and 8, this top pivoting link mechanism 27 comprises a flanged sleeve '72 which is substantially the same as the sleeve 32, differing therefrom in that the bearing recess 84 is near the flanged peripheral portion 74 rather than the opposite open end of the sleeve as is the case with the sleeve 32. The flanged portion 74 is secured to a cross member '75 (Fig. 3) by means of bolts or the like, passing throughthe apertures 76 in the flanged portion. The cross member '75 preferably consists of a wooden beam which is anchored to the back wall 12, as at '70, and to the lintel '71 above the doors.

The sleeve '72, as best shown in Figure 6,,has a pair of inwardly flanged rings 77-78 cast integral therewith andthe rings 7778 have central apertures formed therein. A cylindrical hollow bushing 82 is fixed in the sleeve 72 with its opposite ends tightly secured in the flanged inner rings '77--78. The extreme ends of the bushing 82 are flush with the outer surfaces of the flanged inner rings. A bearing structure 83 is seated in the recess 84 of the sleeve 72. This bearing structure 83 is identical with the bearing structure 39 of the sleeve 32. The bearing structure 83 comprises a cup having a ball bearing race 81- dis- Now referring more particularly to Figposed therein, the inner surface of the cup therefor provides bearing surface for the rotation of the bearing race.

-The triangular link member or arm 85 is secured in the sleeve '72, as shown in Figure 6, by means of a stem 86 extending at right angles therefrom which passes through the center of the bushing 82 and the bearing structure 83, and is securedtherein by means of a rivet 91. The rivet 91 passes through the cylindrical opening 92 extending longitudinally of the stem 86. The head of the rivet 91 abuts the under surface of the triangular link 85 and the opposite end of the rivet 91 is peened or swaged over, as at 93, upon a bearing plate or washer 94. The bearing plate or washer 94 thus rests directly upon the bearing structure 83 and turns with the bearing race when the link 85 is pivoted in the sleeve '72. The weight of each of the doors 1'7 to 20, inclusive, is thus distributed upon the bearing structures 39 and 83 in the sleeves 32 and '72, respectively.

The triangular link member 85 has oppositely extending ears 101 which have apertures for the reception of elbow connections or angle bolts 103. The angle bolts 103 each have a pair of threaded ends 104 and 105. Each threaded end 104 passes through one of the apertures in the ears 101 and is held therein by means of a jamb nut 106 and an acorn nut 10?. The jamb nuts 106 are first screwed on the ends 104 of the bolts 103 and abut the outer surface of the ears 101, then the acorn nuts 107 are screwed against the opposite sides of the ears 101 on the extreme ends 104 of the elbow bolts. A pair of lugs 111 are secured at the top of the inner surface of'each of tl e doors. Theselugs 111 have flanged toes 112 extending at right angles therefrom. The flange toes 112 have central apertures for the reception of the ends 105 of the elbow bolts 103. Jamb nuts 114 are screwed upon the ends 105 and against the upper side of the toes 112. Acorn nuts 115 are then screwed on the extreme ends 105 of the elbow bolts and against the under surface of the toes 112. These nuts 114 and 115 are drawn together on the elbow bolts 103 and against the in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the doors 17, 18, 19 and 20 are interconnected by means of connecting rods 121 secured above the tops of each or" these doors and operatively connected to each of the upper pivoting mechanisms 27. For specific details of this door operating mechanism, reference is made to Figures 4 and 801 the drawings. Adjacent to the right hand cars 101, as shown inFigures 8 and 12, a second ear 122 is formed at right angles to the ears 101, this ear being formed integrally with the triangular link 85 through an L-shaped web 120. This second ear 122 is substantially parallel with the triangular link 85 and contains a vertical opening or aperture for the reception or" a pivot stud 124. This pivot stud has a shouldered portion seated on top of the ear and has a threaded lower portion extending down through the ear and receiving a nut 125 which bears against the underside of the ear 122. The stud 124 projects through the ear 122 and extends substantially about the pivotal axis of the doors. Each of the doors carries a bracket member or plate 157 near the top thereof, and this bracket member 157 has a flanged extension 158 projecting at right angles therefrom. A roller 159 is rotatably mounted on this flanged extension 158, and contacts with the inner side of the guide rail 155 when in closed position. The roller engages the guide rail to direct the door in its initial opening or final closing movements. If an unusual force or strain is suddenly directed against the front of one of the doors, as by a person falling against the door, a part of the impact will be taken by the guide rail which, by virtue of its curvature, tends to swing the door open and thus relieve the pivotal. supports of excess strain. The guide rail and roller also aid in maintaining the doors in alignment when they are closed.

It is to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the particular embodiment herein described, and shown by way of example in the drawings, but includes such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a compartment having a series of connected doors, means in said compartment and spaced rearwardly from the top and bottom of each of said doors for establishing apivotal axis about which each of the doors may swing, mechanism adapted to pivotally support each of the doors for movement about its axis, said mechanism including a triangular link at the top of the door and having one end mounted on the pivotal axis of the door and connected with the door at a pair of spaced points, a sleeve pivotally carried on one corner of each of said triangular links, and connecting rods adjustably secured in said sleeves for actuating all of said triangular links to simultaneously operate all of the doors, the relative position of the doors being afiected by the adjustment of the connecting bars in their corresponding sleeves.

2. In a compartment having a series of doors, pivots spaced rearwardly from the top and bottom of each of said doors for establishing axes upon which the doors may swing, triangular links mounted on said pivots and each having a twopoint connection respectively with the top and bottom of each of said doors, each of said connections comprising a pair of lugs mounted on the inner face of each of said doors and angle bolts having threaded ends received in said lugs and in the triangular links for rigidly supporting said doors on said links, a sleeve pivotally mounted on one corner of each of the triangular links adjacent the tops of the doors, and connecting bars secured in said sleeves for simultaneously actuating all of said doors, said connecting bars adapted to be adjusted in said sleeves to change the relative positions of the doors.

3. In combination with a compartment having a plurality of doors operable on the actuation of one of said doors, said doors lying in a common plane when in closed position, each of said doors being operable about fixed pivots stationed out of said common plane, horizontally extending arms supporting said doors on their pivots, and a connecting rod interposed between the planes of said doors and pivots and pivotally mounted upon and carried by said arms, said connecting rod being adapted to move translationally of said compartment responsive to the movement of one of said doors to simultaneously actuate all of said doors.

4. In a structure of the class described, mounting means for a rotatable door, said means comprising a pair of sleeves spaced from the top and bottom of said door and mounted in said structure, an arm journaled in each of said sleeves and secured to said door, a mounting lug on said door adjacent said arm, an L-shaped member having one end adjustably mounted in said lug and the other end adjustably mounted in an aperture in said arm, and means for adjusting the positions of said L-shaped members to vary the angular position of said door.

5. In combination, a compartment having a plurality of doors lying in a common plane when in closed position, bearing means for each of said doors disposed within said compartment and spaced from the plane thereof, means comprising a triangular shaped link pivotally connected with each of said bearing means and having a plurality of arms, means for securing each of said links to one of said doors for supporting the doors for movement about said bearing means, an ear formed on one of the arms of each of said triangularly shaped links, and means pivotally connected with and carried by each of said ears for simultaneously actuating each of said doors for opening and closing the same.

6. In combination, a compartment having a plurality of doors lying in a common plane when in closed position, bearing means for each of said doors disposed within said compartment and spaced from the plane thereof, means comprising a triangular shaped link pivotally connected with said bearing means and having a plurality of arms, means for securing each of said links to one of said doors for supporting the doors for movement about said bearing means, an ear formed on one of the arms of each of said triangularly shaped links, and a plurality of connecting rods carried by and pivotally connected with said ears and adapted upon operation of one of said doors to move translationally to simultaneously open or close each of said doors.

ELLIS J. G. PHILLIPS. 

